It’s Charlie’s website.

A couple of years ago I complained to IEA Communications Director Charlie McBarron about the IEA’s website linking to a faux news item attacking the Michigan Education Association. The item was planted by the Mackinac Center, a right-wing anti-union policy think tank associated with the Michigan Tea Party, the Education Action Group and the Koch brothers.

McBarron responded with a half-hearted defense and counter-attack.

He defended the In the News feature although he sorta, kinda agreed that they probably, sorta, maybe made a mistake in publishing something attacking our union brothers and sisters in Michigan.

However, over the years McBarron has made it clear that it’s his website. Not the members’. I stopped commenting on it years ago. Others members have found their comments censored.

It is interesting to me that today’s In the News feature doesn’t mention a word about IFT President Dan Montgomery’s call for TRS Executive Director Richard Ingram to resign from his post. Ingram has repeatedly gone rogue on issues that are not within his pervue, most recently telling Crain’s that retired teacher’s COLA should be cut.

Of course, there is always the possibility that Ingram hasn’t gone rogue. It is possible that he is speaking on behalf of, say TRS board of trustee President Christopher Koch, who was appointed by the Governor. I’ve heard it said.

In any case, while IEA President Cinda Klickna has chosen to stay closed mouthed about Ingram’s future, Montgomery, the President of the other statewide teacher union has chosen to call for Ingram’s resignation.

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